as in nerds
a person with strong intellectual interests
discovered that in politics a reputation for being an intellectual was regarded as a liability
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Recent Examples of intellectuals
Perched along the Sea of Marmara, the boutique property sits on the largest of the islands, Büyükada, whose Ottoman-era mansions are where intellectuals and aristocrats held court in the 19th century.
—
Liam Hess,
Vogue,
1 July 2026
Coffin, the co-creator and voice of the Minions, was born in France to Franco-Indonesian intellectuals who only turned on the TV for old movies.
—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
Beginning in the 1870s, atheism and indifference to religion became popular, especially among younger intellectuals.
—
David Mislin,
The Conversation,
26 June 2026
Founded by Thiel and Auren Hoffman, the invite-only network of CEOs, politicians and intellectuals meets to have small, moderated conversations in confidentiality about the future of tech, according to Axios, which reported the forum’s plans for a DC-area campus last year.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
Black intellectuals such as Ralph Ellison knew this, too, despite living at a time when the lynchings of Black people were still a regular feature of American life.
—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
The demonization of minorities was nothing new, of course, but New York in the Seventies birthed a reactionary movement that was supported by politicians, public intellectuals, elites, and working people alike.
—
Kevin Lozano,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Consequently, teleSUR often manages to obtain firsthand information from a representative network of nongovernmental organizations, political parties, unions, intellectuals, human rights defenders, and minorities, among others.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
26 May 2026
Huxley might easily have written a simpler novel glorifying intellectuals while mocking Stoyte’s greed and indifference to suffering.
—
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
Liam Hess,
Vogue,
1 July 2026
Coffin, the co-creator and voice of the Minions, was born in France to Franco-Indonesian intellectuals who only turned on the TV for old movies.
—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
Beginning in the 1870s, atheism and indifference to religion became popular, especially among younger intellectuals.
—
David Mislin,
The Conversation,
26 June 2026
Founded by Thiel and Auren Hoffman, the invite-only network of CEOs, politicians and intellectuals meets to have small, moderated conversations in confidentiality about the future of tech, according to Axios, which reported the forum’s plans for a DC-area campus last year.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
Black intellectuals such as Ralph Ellison knew this, too, despite living at a time when the lynchings of Black people were still a regular feature of American life.
—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
The demonization of minorities was nothing new, of course, but New York in the Seventies birthed a reactionary movement that was supported by politicians, public intellectuals, elites, and working people alike.
—
Kevin Lozano,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Consequently, teleSUR often manages to obtain firsthand information from a representative network of nongovernmental organizations, political parties, unions, intellectuals, human rights defenders, and minorities, among others.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
26 May 2026
Huxley might easily have written a simpler novel glorifying intellectuals while mocking Stoyte’s greed and indifference to suffering.
—
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intellectuals
Noun
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Brimfield is chaotic, yes, but there’s something to be said about an event that brings such obscure enthusiasm from every kind of character—from Brooklynites in search of single-stitch T-shirts to music nerds who specialize in vintage harmonicas.
-
The jerseys were being bought by people who weren’t just soccer nerds or fans looking for deep cuts.
Noun
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The weekend-afternoon sales events became a phenomenon, drawing crowds to marvel at his wide-ranging tastes — not just hardcore music geeks or bibliophiles, but appreciators of New York cultural lore.
-
Heaven to the geeks and superfans in the balcony.
Cite this Entry
“Intellectuals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intellectuals. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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